TWIGMAN FIGHTS THE CALYPSO CLAW

ONE DAY TWIGMAN WAS WORKING IN THE FOREST CUTTING DOWN A TREE WHEN HE HEARD A STRANGE SOUND COMING FROM THE FOREST. IT SOUNDED LIKE A WHOOOSH, CREEEK, WHOOOSH CREEEK.

WHEN TWIGMAN TURNED AROUND HE SAW A STRANGE SIGHT. IT WAS THE CALYPSO CLAW AND IT WAS SLOWLY FLOATING TOWARD HIM MAKING THAT WHOOOSH, CREEEK, WHOOOSH, CREEEK. TWIGMAN HAD HEARD STORIES ABOUT THE CALYPSO CLAW BUT HE HAD NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE. HE WAS VERY MUCH AFRAID.

SUDDENLY THE CALYPSO CLAW GRABBED TWIGMAN BY THE THROAT AND THREW HIM TO THE GROUND. TWIGMAN STRUGGLED TO GET AWAY BUT THE GRIP OF THE CALYPSO CLAW WAS TOO STRONG.

AS TWIGMAN WAS ALMOST FINISHED OFF A VERY TINY LITTLE GIRL CAME OUT OF THE FOREST. SHE BEGAN TO STOKE THE CALYPSO CLAW AND SAY, "NICE CALYPSO CLAW, NICE CALYPSO CLAW." THE CLAW BEGAN TO LOOSEN HIS GRIP ON THE THROAT OF TWIGMAN AND IT STOPPED MAKING THAT AWFUL WHOOOSH, CREEEKING SOUND.
THE LITTLE GIRL KEPT SAYING, "NICE CALYPSO CLAW, NICE CALYPSO CLAW." AS SHE CONTINUED TO STROKE THE BACK OF THE CLAW. TWIGMAN WAS ABLE TO STRUGGLE FREE AND STOOD UP AS THE FINGERS OF THE CLAW WENT ALMOST STRAIGHT.
AS THE TINY LITTLE GIRL LED THE CALYPSO CLAW BACK INTO THE FOREST TWIGMAN ASKED HER NAME AND SHE TOLD HIM HER NAME WAS SALLY SHAGBARK. WHEN TWIGMAN ASKED HOW SHE LEARNED TO TAME THE CALYPSO CLAW SHE SAID, "MY GRANDPA TAUGHT ME."

THE CHRISTMAS GHOST

IT WAS CHRISTMAS EVE. TWIGMAN AND LEAFY TWIG WERE DECORATING THE CHRISTMAS TREE WITH CRANBERRIES, POPCORN GARLANDS, LOTS OF LIGHTS AND BEAUTIFUL GLASS ORNAMENTS. THE CHILDREN WERE SUPPOSED TO BE IN BED ASLEEP.

BUT THEY WERE NOT. ALL OF THEM WERE PEEKING AROUND THE CORNER OF THE LIVING ROOM. THEY WERE WATCHING THEIR MOM AND DAD DECORATE THE TREE. THEY WERE ALSO WONDERING WHAT PRESENTS THEY WOULD BE GETTING THE NEXT MORNING.

OUT OF THE CORNER OF HIS EYE TWIGMAN NOTICED THE CHILDREN PEEKING AROUND THE CORNER BUT HE SAID NOTHING TO THEM. HE WHISPERED TO LEAFY THAT HE WAS GOING TO SCARE THE KIDS AND SHE WAS TO KEEP ON WORKING. HE THEN SAID VERY LOUD, "I AM GOING OUT SIDE FOR SOME MORE EVERGREEN BRANCHES TO DECORATE UNDER THE TREE. YOU KEEP WORKING. IT MAY TAKE ME A LITTLE WHILE." HE THEN WENT OUT THE FRONT DOOR.

TWIGMAN GOT A WHITE SHEET AND WENT TO THE WINDOW OF THE CHILDREN'S BEDROOM. HE BEGAN A LOW MOAN, WHOOO, WHOOO, WHOOO, AS HE APPEARED IN THE WINDOW. ALL THE CHILDREN SPUN AROUND QUICKLY AND WERE VERY MUCH AFRAID.

THE GHOST STARTED TO COME THROUGH THE WINDOW AS HE SAID, "I AM THE GHOST THAT CANCELS CHRISTMAS. I CANCEL CHRISTMAS FOR EVERY CHILD WHO DOES NOT STAY IN BED ON CHRISTMAS EVE."

THORNY TWIG SAID, "I AM SORRY MR. GHOST." KNOBBY TWIG SAID, "WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT YOU." FUZZY TWIG SAID, "PLEASE MR. GHOST, DON'T CANCEL OUR CHRISTMAS. WE WILL GO TO BED AND NEVER EVER DO IT AGAIN." THORNY AND KNOBBY BOTH SAID THEY WERE GOING TO BED RIGHT NOW AND THEY DID. FUZZY JUMPED INTO HER BED TOO.

ALL THE CHILDREN WERE IN BED WITH THE COVERS PULLED OVER THEIR HEADS AS TWIGMAN WENT BACK TO HELPING LEAFY WITH A BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE.